Elizabeth Drescher at Religion Dispatches warns against lumping all "Nones" with nonbelievers and secularists.

In June, I attempted a presentation on not writing terrible press releases for the CFI Student Leadership Conference. The video is now up, but I will never watch it because I'm like that.

Rachel Maddow coined a term last night that I fell instantly in love with. Referring to the views of 2012 GOP Senate candidates concerning God's intentions toward rape victims and their ensuing pregnancies, Maddow called their position an example of "phantasmagoric biotheology." Win.

Rep. Paul "Lies from the Pit of Hell" Broun, with Paul Ryan and others, introduce legislation declaring that life begins at conception.

Robert Sheaffer notes the passing of CSI Fellow, magician and skeptic Robert A. Steiner.

Council on American-Islamic Relations starts a bus ad campaign to help change the public definition of "jihad." For example, mine might say, "My jihad is to get my three-year-old to daycare every morning without physical or psychological damage to either of us."

One could also have a jihad, say, to control The Spice, which, as we all know, must flow.

Stephanie Zvan comes out swinging in defense of the professional gravitas of CFI-DC boss Melody Hensley, in the face of a torrent of online abuse.

Skeptics' Guide to the Universe wins a Podcast Award for best science podcast, and Ardent Atheist wins the best religion podcast award.

These schools generally cater to students who have had problems succeeding in traditional school environments, but also attract students who need extra flexibility to devote several hours a day to athletics, music, art or other pursuits. That flexibility also attracts families of faith who want their children to be able to attend daytime prayer services or be involved with other religious activities.

Chris Stedman is not satisfied with Rep. Kyrsten Sinema's means of avoiding being called an atheist:

It is perfectly fine, of course, if Sinema isn’t a nontheist, and it is understandable that she would want to clarify misinformation about her personal beliefs. But to say that these terms are “not befitting of her life’s work or personal character” is offensive because it implies there is something unbefitting about the lives and characters of atheists or nonbelievers.

Linking to a story or webpage does not imply endorsement by Paul or CFI. Not every use of quotation marks is ironic or sarcastic, but it often is.

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Paul Fidalgo has been communications director of the Center for Inquiry since 2012. He holds a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University, and has worked previously for FairVote: The Center for Voting and Democracy and the Secular Coalition for America. Paul is also an actor and musician whose work includes five years performing with the American Shakespeare Center. He lives in Maine with his wife and kids. His blog is Near-Earth Object, and he tweets at @paulfidalgo.